Who is bhaiya? who is dhoti? who is marsiah?

[Dhananjay]

Are Madhesis "bhaiya", "dhoti" or "marsiah"?

 

It is unbearable for any Madhesis when he is addressed by the derogatory terms-"bhaiya", "dhoti" or "marsiah". To my wonder, a male madhesi if he is black in color with long beard and if he is poorly clad is humiliated and ridiculed by the behaviors and attitudes of "not all pahades" but by "so-called pahades". 

 

Why it is not the case with Arun Gupto, Kailash Sirohiya or any Madhesi who is prosperous and elitist in terms of epistemology and wealth?

 

I witness such incidents commont to the working class madhesis people who are either peddlers or rickshaw pullers or cycle boys or vegetable-sellers. Despite the fact that they are bona fide Nepali fellows, they undergo self-humiliation by their fellow countrymen hailing from pseudo-Pahade community.

 

To my dissatisfaction, many children are so much psychologically manipulated by the oppressive mindsets of their parents that they knowingly or unknowingly mimic the tongue of their seniors while addressing the black, or poorly clad, or beardy, or working class madhesi Nepalis. Even the pahade person if he resembles the madhesi in terms of color, beard, appearance and dress-up has fallen to humiliation, embarrasment and hatefulness.

 

Indeed, it is the injustice to the Madhesis or Madhesi-looking pahades and therefore what I request the media is to play a part ot erase the traditional mindsets of so-called pahades through the writings of awareness and consciousness. The efforts, I believe, will do a lot to give the justice and equality to the Madhesi Nepalis.

--
.......................................
DHANANJAY SHAH
Central Department of English
           TU, Kirtipur
+977-014332799 (Res.)
9841649961 (cell phone)

[Bhumika]

interesting..if people from madhesh don't like being called "dhoti" or "marsiah" then why are u calling us "padhe"..excuse me i am not "padhe" but a "nepali"

people from madhesh have been abused for long but that don't mean that now even they have to jump into this name calling bandwagon. why not call everyone a nepali and be done with it. just my two cents

bhumika

 

Bhumika Ghimire

West Lafayette,Indiana
Phone:765-496-4132
bhum...@yahoo.com

 

---

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[Dhananjay]

Hardly madheshi people call u by pahadhe....... what i wanted to write thru writing is the ill manner of so-called non-madheshi people to use derogatory terms u r nepali and so am i. my insult means yr insult.

[Nipun]

You are absolutely right Dhananjay. Madhesis have been humiliated for long time and that's the main reason for their exasperation which is leading to Tarai conflict.

 

If we want to save our country from such racial issues, we need to treat every other Nepali with respect. Especially the ones who's been mistreated for long time due to the ignorance and stereotype nature of this society. We should all realize that Nepal belongs to every Nepali. All of us have equal responsibilites and rights to develop nepal. so there is no point in having superiority complex.

--
Regards,
Nipun

[Dhananjay]

Let us break the hierarchy and let us break the silence.

[Pratik Karki]

Well Dhananjay Daju

I just want to recount my experience during my stay at Siraha when I studied high school there around 3 -4 years ago.From that experience I can vouch that madhesis also call pahades as "saarke pahadiya" and other deragoratry terms and it applies to the local pahades as well,people who can speak fluent maithili and have lived there all their lives.

 it is just a matter of different place and different persons.

And I am not justifying either of the comments whether it be by "Pahades" or "Madhesis"(not my choice of words but I am forced to use it).I just want to say that same thing you said

"my insult means yr insult."

 

Can all of us not be Nepalis instead??

Please??

[abhitav karn]

it is matter of shame to raise a conflict for sucha trivial matter of castism

we all r nepali ,dont divide them as pahade and madhesi

but being a madhesi am too frustrated by these ongoing matter

govt is isolating us from all the right

we r exile in our own country.

no matter wheres a person is now he must'nt forget his origin

GP.KOIRALA=BIRATNAGAR(TERAI)

M.K.NEPAL=RAUTAHAT(TERAI)

PRACHANDA=CHITWAN(TERAI)

WE CANT EXPERIENCE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS IN OUR LIFE

THE NATION HAS GONE IN DESPERATE PLIGHT IN THESE 2 DAYS

IT IS LUNACY OF GOVT.TO ACT SO INJUDICIOUSLY

IF PAHADE SAYS WE R DHOTI THEY DONT KNOW THEY R ARYAN TRIBE,ARYABHATTA OF INDIA IS THE MAIN ORIGIN,SO ALL R DHOTI

IF NEWAR SAYS WE R DHOTI THEY DONT KNOW THAT "BAISHALI"STATE OF INDIA IS THEIR ORIGIN SO THEY R DHOTI

 

      ABHITAV KARNA

        SAPTARI NEPAL

JAI MADHES ,JAI NEPAL

 

On 2/16/08, Bhumika <bhum...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[Pratik Karki]

Well a really ambiguous post
because while Mr. abhitav regards "castism" as a trivial matter ,the entire post
seems to be in support of it.
My simple question to all the "true" madhesis??
How far is one's lineage at a particular place necessary for a person to call that place home?
If a true assessment of the terai region is carried out perhaps the only" true" inhabitants would be the tharus.
So let us be clear as to what is the demands of the people of the terai, what do the "madhesis" want?
If it is to simply reverse the discriminatory government policy with a discriminatory policy of their own;if that is the aim then I do not believe that peace, equality or social justice can be met.
Let the people of terai use their brains and not be swayed by inflammatory rhetorics and biased intellectuals.

Let us go forward , not backwards,let us build our nation.

JAI NEPAL,JAI NEPALI

[Chhatra]

Just calling "Bhaiya" is as good as "Bhai and Dai" and this derogatory represents brotherhood relation. But problem is difference in behaviors and practices targeting to humiliate/hate certain person or community in terms of their nature. These practices are motivated harassing people towards going in power and  opportunities sharing  in Nepal.  But I am proud to say here, Bhaiya people have more good HDI  ( Human Development Indicators) than those their mountain origin indigenous counterparts. At this time, this is a just propaganda designed by chance maker powerhouse to puzzle people for their benefit.

Everyone here have positive perception regarding illuminating humiliation and hate to each others.

 

Regards,

Chhatra

[Bnes]

We are in the phase in building the nation,
Let forget all these chaos and let's go ahead with vision that we are
Nepali and
we have to built this Nation NEPAL
It;s going to be no or never.

[SECRY GLOOMY]

Exactly Bhumika, I too support you.
Thanks for your realistic comment.
EThank you.

--
A LOT OF REGARDS FROM;

PRAKASH GAUTAM,
TOPGACHHI -4, JOGICHAUN , JHAPA,
MECHHI, NEPAL.

[SECRY GLOOMY]

Yes, exactly Dhananjaya this thing is unbearable not only for the
people originated from terai region, but also for those originated
from Himalayas.No one is 'Madhesi', 'Bhaiya', or 'Dhoti', but who is
'Pahade' and why are they 'so-called' ? Everyone should understand
here that all of us are Nepali, Nepal is our motherland, and no one
can be so called with those rude terms. From any aspect each and
everyone should understand that we all are Nepalis originated from
different angles.

Thanks for your article, which really bears something.
Thanks a lot.

[Amit]

It's certainly derogatory, humiliating and embarrassing, time and again to hear the words such as madhishe, dhoti, marsya.. We are not MADHISHE, we are MADHESHI just like you people who have prerogative of being PAHADHIS OR NEPALI and correctly, we say you pahadi. Why should a MADHESHI like to be NEPALI ? Question mark ( surprising dear bhumika and all folks), listen.. we are citizen of Nepal. Being a citizen of Nepal, though, we have to be humiliated in day to day life by being called DHOTI, INDIAN, MARSYA.. just due to the complexion of our skin and our tong even unknowingly by small children as Dhananjaya said. Is this fair?

And of course we are not comfortable to be in India as we are clearly distinct in our culture to be regarded as Nepali from the perspective of Indian. So, what should we feel? Should we continue to be lick the boots of PAHADIS who have the so called privilege of being called NEPALI !

This facts are very distressing.. Also, there are many discriminations that a madheshi people is facing in all fields of work, education and society... This need to be seriously addressed, not casually as Bhumika tried to say.. Not simply accepting the fact that there are DISCRIMINATIONS! This is the seed of REVOLUTION,  a strong revolution in days to come. Then only, we MADHESHI will get an equal privilege and will be happy to be called as NEPALI.
Don't we wish to called  as a NEPALI rather than DHOTI, MARSYA OR MADHISHE? Shame on those peoples with such an attitude!!

 

Amit Ranjan,

Kupondole, Lalitpur,

> ________________________________
> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it
> now.
> >
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--
A LOT OF REGARDS FROM;

PRAKASH GAUTAM,
TOPGACHHI -4,  JOGICHAUN , JHAPA,
MECHHI,  NEPAL.

[Bhumika]

hmm i don't get it..i am against calling anyone marsiah or a padhe. both are wrong so why are u arguing AGAINST me..i am on ur side buddy.

anyway..let stop this name calling ok? this is only making matters worse.

---

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

[Amit]

I truly agree with your abhitav.
Its time for us to say JAY MADHESH. We have, in fact, become frustrated saying JAY NEPAL!

JAY MADHESH is the only way to make madheshi an important part of the nation building.

 

Amit Ranjan,

----- Original Message ----
From: abhitav karn <abhi...@gmail.com>
To: the-himal...@googlegroups.com; EDIT...@THEHIMALAYANTIMES.COM
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 5:15:56 PM
Subject: [The Himalayan Times] Re: Who is bhaiya? who is dhoti? who is marsiah?

it is matter of shame to raise a conflict for sucha trivial matter of castism

we all r nepali ,dont divide them as pahade and madhesi

but being a madhesi am too frustrated by these ongoing matter

govt is isolating us from all the right

we r exile in our own country.

no matter wheres a person is now he must'nt forget his origin

GP.KOIRALA=BIRATNAGAR(TERAI)

M.K.NEPAL=RAUTAHAT(TERAI)

PRACHANDA=CHITWAN(TERAI)

WE CANT EXPERIENCE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS IN OUR LIFE

THE NATION HAS GONE IN DESPERATE PLIGHT IN THESE 2 DAYS

IT IS LUNACY OF GOVT.TO ACT SO INJUDICIOUSLY

IF PAHADE SAYS WE R DHOTI THEY DONT KNOW THEY R ARYAN TRIBE,ARYABHATTA OF INDIA IS THE MAIN ORIGIN,SO ALL R DHOTI

IF NEWAR SAYS WE R DHOTI THEY DONT KNOW THAT "BAISHALI"STATE OF INDIA IS THEIR ORIGIN SO THEY R DHOTI

 

      ABHITAV KARNA

        SAPTARI NEPAL

JAI MADHES ,JAI NEPAL

 

[Pratik Karki]

An addition to the last post
What are the rights that you will be giving to the nepali speaking
populace of the Terai
and a question on the present terai Aandolan
Don't you think that the United Madhesi democratis front's(UMDF)
demand for exemption from the requirement for inclusiveness on
proportional representation from the existing 20 percent to 50 percent
is a hypocritical one?

Is it not an example of the heads -I- win-tails-you-lose
approach?While it has sought "proportional representation of Madhesis"
in all areas of governance the front wants itself to be exempted from
ths need to include others.

What are your views on this?
Pratik Karki
Janakpur Nepal

On 2/25/08, Pratik Karki <karki....@gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear Amit
> Yes its a lot humiliating and derogatory to be called MADHISHE and it
> is derogatory to be called PAHADIYA too. Correct me if that term is
> not used in the terai.
> On the other hand ask yourself if the land in the south was Madhesh
> even 2 years ago and did you call yourself a MADHESI or an inhabitant
> of TERAI.
> A MADHESI would like to be called a NEPALI because he is a citizen of
> NEPAL.
> You are confusing NEPALI as an ETHNICITY and NEPALI as a NATIONALITY.
> You want REVOLUTION?
> what are you going to do to address the discrimination prevalent?
> Are you going to create another discriminatory state or nation known as
> MADHES?
> What are the rights that you wll be giving to the NEPALI On 2/24/08,

> ____________________________________________________________________________________
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> > Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
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> > > >
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>

[Pratik Karki]

Dear Amit
Yes its a lot humiliating and derogatory to be called MADHISHE and it
is derogatory to be called PAHADIYA too. Correct me if that term is
not used in the terai.
On the other hand ask yourself if the land in the south was Madhesh
even 2 years ago and did you call yourself a MADHESI or an inhabitant
of TERAI.
A MADHESI would like to be called a NEPALI because he is a citizen of NEPAL.
You are confusing NEPALI as an ETHNICITY and NEPALI as a NATIONALITY.
You want REVOLUTION?
what are you going to do to address the discrimination prevalent?
Are you going to create another discriminatory state or nation known as MADHES?
What are the rights that you wll be giving to the NEPALI On 2/24/08,
Amit <lalami...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[Tejesh Pradhan]

When the homeland is asking its sons to reunite and put their heads together to rebuild the nation, unfortunately her mindless sons are fighting among themselves. Think what you can do for the country and expect not what you want. Revolution in the country has never been a proper one. It is just a mere excuse to express one’s fury and vengeance. Those should be shameful who think of dividing the already divided nation. Thought, desire and greed have made the country disgraced and cut it apart intangibly. There is no feeling of “Neplitwa” in any one. What is there is just the sense of violence. Even those who are diligently working for the improvement of the ongoing situation get frustrated because of the people who just aim at their personal goals and can get to any extent to achieve them. Personal goals here refer to the wants of one or group of persons namely Madhesis or Pahadis.

I am not here to judge who is right or who is wrong. So is none. Nobody has any right to blame on anyone. The social structure of our society has been coming up with many stereotypes and false beliefs which are creating an unseen barrier among every one of us. But none sees how crucial is it to not to let it grow. Rather than fighting for neutrality or superiority, why not to intermediate the things in between everyone? Why further devastate the country which is already crying harsh blood? Why not make the country in such a way that every single Nepali will one day wants to serve the nation?

It all boils down to the citizens of the nation to make up for what people did in the past. And we being the younger generations more is on our shoulders. Violence is not at all any solution. Realize it!!!

 

[Dhananjay]

Thanks to my letter- "Who is ...." which drew a large number of critics commenting on the ill-treatment of subaltern Madheshi and placing them in the clutches of suppression, oppression, depression, and such other operations of Nepali politics which fails to address the issue of the underdogs like the Madhesi minorities. They are socially humiliated(bhaiya, dhoti, marsiah), politically seceded(no sufficient number of Madhesi beureaucrats and no proper heed to the Madhes from central level of politics), and economically downtrodden( mostly madhesi are forced to be in so-called low profession(rickshaw-pullers, veg-shopkeepers, cycle boys and ...).

 

This is indeed the outcome of long-standing non-madhesi government which not only put the madhesi minorities in the dark but also marginalised the dalits, women, janjatis and such other politically, socially and economically downtrodden groups.

 

I object to the chhatra's commentary on madhesi marginalisation. He says calling bhaiya and dhoti is as good as brother and there is sense of brotherhood. Then why he doesnt call his own brother by bhaiya and his elderly by dhoti because to him, these words convey the sense of reverence.

 

  One shouldnt forget that according to context and culture, the sense of words differ. for instance, bhai in Mumbai as a tapori dialect means one who is a "boss" and "don" but the same word in Nepali and other contexts is younger brother. Similar is the case with bhaiya.

 

And those calling subaltern madhesis by "dhoti" shouldnt forget that their hatred towards what they call as dhoti is also the dhoti what their fathers, brothers and all others unavoidably wear to mark the last rites. such  sort of ill-mannered of non-madhesi place us inbetweenness- Indian ( by addressing us by dhoti ) and Nepali ( what we are by our birth, culture, tradition, land and nagarikta)

 

I 'd like to refute what Chhatra and such other dissents claim that bhaiyas have more HDI than the those in hilly areas. Those who are rich or prosperous or well-off are not addressed by bhaiya but sahuji, bhaisahab or such other reverent terminologies. Here Chhatra 's analysis seems to be virtually missing the mark. Mostly the underdogs of madheshi and black-looking madhesis have to underdog such discriminations. There is the point.

 

Mind your tongue when u address a madhesi( as suggested by Amit Ranjan). No Madhese, No Bhaiya, No Dhoti, No Marsiah. If discrimination continues, the tarai fire will engulf the whole Nepal transforming from a small flame to a highly inflammable conflagration.

 

It 's high time "The" Nepalis understood "Other" Nepalis by shaking off "the" and "other" to bridge the gap ultimately resulting in Nepalis( Delete "the" and "other"). 

 

MY NEPAL

MY PRIDE

[Nipun]

Cool down Amit Ji, We know Madhesies were much disrespected. But gradually the situation is changing through last decade. All of us have started appreciating that Madhesies are as much Nepali as we are. And just when the situation is improving, such anti nepal comments would not help. You know that you are a nepali, rather patriotic one. You can be angry with the peoples but not your own country.

 

Regards,

Nipun

Lalitpur Nepal